Caught, at last (with love)
by Arianna Waters
Summary: "during a match on Bodmin Moor in 1884, the snitch managed to avoid capture for six months until both teams finally gave up in disgust at the performance of their Seekers." This is the story of that snitch.


_**Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Round 2 (Jurassic Fever) as Beater 2 of Falmouth Falcons.**_

 _PROMPT: Write a story that takes place in the sky or somewhere that houses broom equipment_

 _Optional Prompts:_

 _# (colour) forest green  
# (dialogue) "Aww, does somebody need a hug?"  
# (colour) turquoise_

 _WORD COUNT: 1534_

 _NOTE: The colour turquoise is associated with refreshing, energy, friendship, love, joy, tranquility, patience, intuition, and loyalty._

* * *

 **Caught, at last (with love)**

You wake from slumber as the magical case that holds you is opened, and the multitude of auras that you can suddenly sense again is overwhelming. You barely have time to remember the instructions your creator gave you before you are released into the air.

Two auras chase after you — the seekers, they are called — and you deftly evade them. It's fun not getting caught.

Instinct also tells you that if you allow yourself to be plucked out from air, you will be stashed back into a box that hides the auras and makes your senses go dormant. Having lived through that for a long, long time, you do not want that, and days pass with the seekers (and their replacements) running on your tail whenever they manage to spot you.

You don't like being chased, you realise after a while, so you decide to hide. You come back out into the open every now and then, but the stands are a curious place and it's more interesting to study the different auras that come and leave as the time passes.

This goes on for many a moon before it gets boring, and you decide to wander away from what your creator called 'Pitch'. It is against the orders you got, but you decide not to care.

The barren land that surrounds the Pitch gives way to vegetation. There are hundreds and hundreds of trees, separated by streams and rivers, lakes and ponds. The vibrant green of the forest seems alive, and you love it.

It is curious how you can see the land and the water, the trees and the streams, but the people appear to you as auras. Perhaps, being an object (in the eyes of humans), you can see only other objects, but the living creatures are visible as energies instead of their actual forms. They have different colours, and it is fascinating.

You, yourself, are sentient. It is the magic that thrums inside of you that gives you life. It is different from those who are living, but it is life, nonetheless, and you cherish it.

The forest is intense. It changes every minute, and it is fun to zoom at a speed from within the boughs of trees. As you spend your time in the wild, the gold on your body gains specks of dirt-brown from the mud that you sometimes graze the surface of. As you zip past the leaves, streaks of forest green are added to your wings.

When you observe your reflection in the clear water of forest ponds, you find the colourful patterns suit you better than the bright-golden that you used to be.

.oOo.

It is a long while later that you break through the forest and into a village. The auras of dozens of humans, which have always been sharper than those of other creatures, startle you with their sudden appearance. When you can regain your senses, a curious, turquoise colour is standing a short distance away.

"Is that a real Snitch," he exclaims, and affronted, you fly closer to him. "It is!"

He calls out other names, his voice excited, but you choose to fly away.

The next day, though, the green of the forest seems a bit too dull, and for some reason, you yearn to see the turquoise aura that was almost too excited with your presence. You enter the village and search for him, finding him in a cottage, scrolls of paper littered on the table in front of him. A red aura that is seated on the other side of the table, a green one that matches the colour of the forest sits by his side, and there is a pale blue one in the house, as well.

"Look, the Snitch's back!" The excitement is there, again, and it cheers you for some reason.

You decide you like this person. And day after day, you return to meet him, sometimes along with his forest-green sister, even when he gets a broom and chases after you.

.oOo.

"It has been far too long since I last tasted fresh meat, sister."

"Worry not, sister. I sense a village ahead. It will serve well to quench your desire."

You hear the voices before you sense the auras, but once you focus your attention, they are blinding. The colours change before you can detect them, and they seem to emanate an alluring darkness.

The curious thing is, the moment your focus is lost, you cannot sense the auras until you hear the voices speak again and concentrate on them.

It seems ancient, the magic that veils the power, as do the beings that hold it.

You focus on the conversation of these ancient creatures, and it horrifies you to find that they intend to eat flesh of the children of the village you have grown so attached to.

You think of the turquoise aura that you have befriended. He is developing still, and you cannot even imagine losing him, or his younger sister with aura as green as the leaves of forest, to fall prey to these bloodthirsty monsters.

The dangerous auras are moving quickly, and it won't be long before they are upon the village. You need to warn the villagers. You just don't know how to.

It takes a while for the plan to formulate, and it is dangerous, but you decide that risking one life must be worth saving dozens. With that thought in mind, you fly the fastest you can in the direction of the village.

You find your favourite aura — he seems to be gallivanting around in the streets with his friends. You fly to him, almost touching, but dart out of the way each time he swats at you. This goes on for a fair few times before he stops.

"Playful, aren't you today, Snitch? Let me get my broom — I'm sure I'll catch you today."

You fly after him as he runs to his house and pulls the broom out of the shed. "I'll give you a head-start!" he shouts, and you start moving slowly. "Slowpoke!" he yells as he flies in your direction, and you fly faster, in the direction of the forest.

All concept of time is lost as you weave through the trees, always searching for the presence of the dangerous auras, all the while making sure you are in clear sight but out of catching distance of the turquoise aura.

When you find the ancient creatures at last, you and the turquoise boy are almost too near. You change directions and are relieved when the boy follows.

You fly lazy circles around the group, making sure they stay out of the boy's sight and cannot sense him, as you wait for the boy's father to show up. It's taking too long, but you had been sure it was nearing the boy's study time, and whenever he's late for his lessons, his father uses magic to find him. You have heard the boy whine too much about it, as it is often that he forgets the timings for the lessons.

"Hey Snitch, I'm going to take a break." The boy lets his feet touch the ground of the clearing you are in, and you pause mid-air, terrified, because the dark auras are coming in this direction, only. You dart towards the boy, poking and prodding, but he refuses to get in the air again.

It is not long before the flesh-desiring monsters break through the trees and into their line of sight. Moments later, they have noticed the boy, who is yet oblivious of their presence.

Cackles soon fill the air. "It seems we will not have to wait for too long, sister. Looks like fresh meat has come to us."

One of the creatures moves forward, and even as your turquoise friend tries to back away, he fails. He seems to be rooted to his spot in fear. "Aw, does somebody need a hug?"

The boy screams, then, and the monsters laugh. You fly in between them and the boy, but they do not even pay attention to you.

They have almost reached the boy when, with a woosh, someone else enters the clearing. "Hags!" he cries, and it is with relief that you observe it's the boy's father, his violent-red aura lashing out. "Arthur," the man says, "fly home, now!"

The boy doesn't hesitate, even as he cries with relief. He mounts the broom and turns back, and you fly ahead, leading the way.

It is hours later that the man returns, bloody and battered, but alive. The boy sobs into his father's chest, you fly near to his hand and touch his palm, and his fingers slowly close around you.

.oOo.

 _ **OMAKE:**_

It is two summers later that there is another attack on the village. It is sudden and unexpected, and there is nothing you can do to prevent it.

The aftermath confuses you. No lasting damage seems to have occurred, and no one seems harmed. The only change is that, whenever the incident with the hags is mentioned, there is a new name attached — spoken with reverence and respect — Gilderoy Lockhart.

.oOo.


End file.
